Chapter 109 — Too Late (Bonus update for 1,020 pink votes)

"The Marquis does this old man too much honor." Chen Yanzhou bowed his head in return, yet the corners of his mouth were lifted high.

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In the Nanxun Ward, at the very heart of the capital and neighboring the offices of the Six Ministries, the Hanlin Academy, and the Chancellery of the Heir Apparent, stood the Ji residence. From the outside it appeared nothing more than a whitewashed wall and grey tiles with two broad black-lacquered gates—unremarkable in every way. Only upon stepping inside did one discover that the three-lane, three-bay, five-courtyard mansion took up a full third of the Jade River Lane.

Seated in the study in the southeast corner of the Ji residence, where the fragrance of magnolia drifted on the air, Ji Yong looked at the note in his hand, and the corners of his mouth curled high, bending into a pleased curve.

The position of heir apparent of the Jing Duke's household, exchanged for the betrothal token from the Dou Zhiwei family.

Not bad at all.

Dou Yan, after all, was worth a title of hereditary nobility, heir apparent.

He summoned his personal page boy, Zishang. "Bring my calling card—we are going to the household of the Marquis of Jining."

Zishang, who rarely saw Ji Yong so pleased, ventured boldly with a grin, "What are we going to the Marquis of Jining's for? We are hardly on familiar terms with those noble houses…"

Ji Yong's face darkened at once, and he shot the boy a cold glare.

Zishang gave a start of fright and dared not say another word. He hurriedly called a maid to help Ji Yong change his clothes, while he himself went to Ji Yong's study, took a calling card, had a carriage hitched, and attended Ji Yong out the gate.

On the road, they came upon several young men dressed as scholars.

Seeing Ji Yong, they made way for him while still some distance off.

Ji Yong did not even lift an eyelid; he swept past as though he had seen nothing at all.

Zishang, however, recognized the leader as young Master Min of the Twelfth Master's branch; the others he did not know—they were likely Min's fellow students at the Imperial College.

He smiled at young Master Min by way of greeting, and then heard one of the group say in displeasure, "So this is that young prodigy of your household, the one who took first place in the provincial examination? Rather too arrogant for my taste. We may be his inferiors in learning, but it is not as though we shall never pass the metropolitan examination ourselves…"

Zishang heard young Master Min laugh and say, "You mistake him, Brother Jieyuan. My cousin is not arrogant—he is simply one who 'studies only the works of the sages, deaf to all that goes on beyond the window,' and has no understanding of such worldly niceties. Never mind that you and he are meeting for the first time; even those long acquainted with him, after some days apart, may find he has forgotten what you look like. My cousin has provided no end of amusement on that account, and our whole household has grown used to it. If you keep company with him long enough you will learn—he has never been able to recognize a face since he was small…"

Thank goodness it was young Master Min they had met. Had it been young Master Yu, far from putting in a good word for the young master, he would have been doing well if he did not set others to making trouble for him.

Zishang hurried to catch up with Ji Yong through the main gate. He was just about to put in a good word for young Master Min before Ji Yong when a black-lacquered carriage draped in blue cloth drew up before them.

From it descended Ji Yong's father, Ji Qi.

He was some forty years of age, dressed in the crimson official robes of the fourth rank with the cloud-and-goose insignia, handsome of feature and mild of countenance, and there was about him an air of great refinement.

Ji Qi smiled and asked his son, "Jianming, where are you off to?"

Ji Yong did not so much as blink. "I am going to Yubao Studio to see whether they have any decent inkstones."

"Have you enough money?"

Ji Yong paid him no mind and climbed straight into the carriage.

Zishang hurried to answer for him: "Enough, quite enough!"

Ji Qi took no offense. He nodded and told them to "be careful."

Zishang nodded again and again, hastily bowed to Ji Qi, and scrambled up into the carriage.

Ji Qi watched their carriage roll out of Daiqiao Alley before he went back inside.

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The Jining Marquis's estate stood in Yuming Ward on the west side of the city, where the Yan'an Marquis's household, the Changxing Marquis's household, and the Xingzhen State Guardian's mansion had all established their seats. Most of this dynasty's founding worthies had built their residences there, and so the people of the capital waggishly called Yuming Ward "Wealth and Honor Ward."

At the gate of the Jining Marquis's estate, Ji Yong ran into Chen Yanzhou, who had just come out of the mansion.

He was taken aback.

Chen Yanzhou was more surprised still, and stepped forward to salute Ji Yong.

But Ji Yong said, "What brings you here? And where is the Fourth Miss?"

Chen Yanzhou smiled. "The Fourth Miss is in Zhending. She sent me to the Jining Marquis's estate on an errand."

Ji Yong's brows knit tight. He drew Chen Yanzhou aside to talk. "What errand has the Fourth Miss sent you on?"

Chen Yanzhou only smiled and said nothing.

Dou Yan's calm, almost sagacious face rose in Ji Yong's mind, and a faint foreboding stirred in his heart.

He gave a cold sniff. "Don't imagine I cannot find out. Telling me would only save me some trouble."

Chen Yanzhou smiled politely. "I am entrusted with a task and must be faithful to it. I beg Young Master Ji not to make things hard for me."

Ji Yong clicked his tongue in a cold laugh. "To think that Zhang Kai, the Grand Coordinator of Fujian, should be a man of soft bones, while his aide is a soul of loyalty and courage."

When the Japanese pirates attacked Fuzhou, Zhang Kai, Grand Coordinator of Fujian, had abandoned the city and fled; the Fujian Regional Commander, Jiang Meisun, Duke of Dingguo, cut him down with his sword and hung his head from the walls of Fuzhou for three days as a warning to all. The whole court and countryside knew of it.

Chen Yanzhou's expression changed drastically, and his face turned very cold and severe. "Then I must trouble the learned Ji to go and inquire for himself." With that he flicked his sleeves and climbed into a carriage nearby, which rattled away.

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To my sisters and brothers who read this book: I have made major revisions to Chapter 108. The other chapters remain untouched. I note it here for your information.

o(n_n)o~

ps: Begging for pink tickets...

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